Latest Kansas City District Info

Trails

Melvern Lake visitors have shown a growing interest in land-based recreation opportunities. One such opportunity is exploring the native habitat adjacent to Melvern Lake's many trails. If you are interested in learning more about our natural resources or just interested in healthy exercise, Melvern Lake is the place for you. Below is a partial description of these trails.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Trails

The Outlet Park has three miles of nature trails including a half-mile paved surface trail accessible to the physically challenged. A two-mile gravel trail connects to the paved trail to allow users to explore the entire oxbow that exists as a result of the Melvern Dam construction as well as the perimeter of the Outlet River Pond. It interconnects with several sanitary facilities and allows fishermen, hikers, and bicyclists safe access to the river pond shoreline and other park features.

The River Bottom Nature Trail is a primitive trail that passes through an area representative of the river biosphere. It is located in the northeast portion of the Outlet Park.

Coeur d' Alene Park has two nature trails with easy to navigate gravel surfaces. The Overlook Trail is only two hundred yards long but serves to connect two picnic areas and playground facilities. The Breakwater Trail is a half-mile long and provides access to the lake and native flora and fauna between the Coeur d' Alene campground and the marina cove.

The Tallgrass Heritage Trail, located on the south side of Melvern Lake, extends from Arrow Rock Park to Coeur d' Alene Park. This new trail originates in the Arrow Rock Park campground and extends east to Coeur d' Alene Park. Hikers and mountain bike riders will enjoy woodland and grassland ecosystems as the trail extends nearly four miles between the two parks. The 2.2 mile trail from Arrow Rock Park to Coeur d' Alene Park offers a mowed grass path with several challenging hills. The 1.8 mile path in Arrow Rock offers a packed gravel surface ideal for hikers and bike riders.

A self-guided nature trail is located in the Eisenhower State Park that allows users to explore native eastern Kansas prairie grasses. A seventeen-mile Bridle Trail initiates in the west portion of the campground in the state park and traverses through the scenic undeveloped native terrain typical of the nationally acclaimed Kansas Flint Hills. For the hiking/biking enthusiast there is a five mile trail located in the east side of the park.

The mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is to deliver vital public and military engineering services; partnering in peace and war to strengthen our nation’s security, energize the economy and reduce risks from disasters.

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The official public website of the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. or website corrections, write to CENWK-PA@usace.army.mil.